Connecting your Street Articles account to Social Media networks will allow you to spread the word about your published content. Extend your reach by telling your friends and social circles about your Street Articles publications!

Anyone who has tried and failed to learn a langauge will have at least at some time had some of these thoughts:

It is too difficult and I just can't do it.

I don't have the patience.

It will take me too long before I can use it.

The teacher is not very good and doesn't understand me.

I can't find the time.

I can't find the information to help me.

I would have to pay for childcare if I go to classes.

The classes are too big and I get lost.

It's too expensive.

The classes don't fit with my needs.

So there are many would be students who find an excuse to stop going to learn a language or indeed never get started. We shall never know how good they may have been at that new language.

Those that make it past these barriers still have problems.

For those would be new language experts who make it past the barriers so far listed there are still further fundamental barriers which they have to wrestle with. There are many to be sure, so let's take a look at two of the key barriers and see how they can be overcome.

The Basic Approach

Because we all learnt our native language so many years ago, we usually cannot remember how we did it, and when it comes to learning a new language we often don't have a clue. We may just go along to a class and assume that the way the language is being taught there is the correct way. Stop right there because this is just not true. Learning a language is not like anything else we have done in our life, and to be successful it is necessary to turn our thinking upside down.

If you are a visual learner then you learn by seeing and with a new language this is tricky. There is nothing to actually see. For these type of learners it will be necessary for them to go to a class and spend even a few weeks there so they can if you like "see" what they are going to learn.

If you are not the visual kind of learner you may prefer to hear and this is where cd courses come into there own. Listen to the course, practice it and speak it.

So there is a distinct need to explore the type of learner you are (most of us might not even know what type we are), and adopt your approach to that new language accordingly.

That new word pronunciation

One of the key problems that students face is actually listening intently to not only what is said but how it is said. Countries have dialects, and accents just like America and the UK. Talking to someone from a regional area in France can be very different to speaking to a Parisian. Both speak French but with regional accents it can sound very different.

Just as when we were learning our natural language the answer is to speak slowly. It is much better to speak a few words slowly and be understood, than to rapidly say a lot and face the embarrassment of being told that the other person did not understand a word you said. Practice saying words slowly and then together slowly, just like your children or grandchildren are doing, and you will find it will work. You will feel so good when the other person replies to you and obviously understood you.

Learn to Laugh at yourself

One last thought - learning a language can be a stressfull exercise, another reason why people don't. It is well known in emotional intelligence training that laughing breaks stress. Try being angry and laughing at the same time - can't be done. So when all the barriers are looming in front of you learn to laugh at yourself, and see how really helpfull this is. Try it - it works.

Working as a freelance writer is a pretty sweet gig, at least most of the time. If you are lucky enough to find a number of reliable, steady clients, then you are likely to be able to work from home without having to succumb to Ramen noodle lunches too often.…

The people you surround yourself will determine the outcome of your language, because we change to make thing easier for us. I am a student.
I have attended many colleges in Hawaii, California, and Las Vegas. I only noticed the simplicity of my English when I transferred to the mainland…

To a certain extent, all people are visual learners. However, some people take it to the extreme, where that is almost the only way they can learn. It is the second group of people that this article addresses. These people are "classified" as visual learners and represents about 30 percent…

I have written much on the fact that my son is a visual learner and have provided strategies for teaching the visual learner. However, sometimes, there may be something more at work. What is the reason behind the difficulty in learning in the "normal" way (I hate to say it…

Will you be starting college in the summer or fall? Many people decide to go to college in order to increase their chances of being hired for a job. Many also want to have experience that college can offer them, such as the opportunity to learn more about themselves before…

There I was sitting in front of my laptop, trying desperately to learn more than basic html. A book on the subject beside me, a bunch of html code in front of me on a web builder on my pc, a very earnest albeit confused look on my face, and…

Every student has their own preferred revision technique and there is no right or wrong way of revising. It’s important that you find what works for you. If you’re predominantly a visual learner it may be that mind mapping would suit you as a revision technique but if you’re predominantly…

Study skills are vital to one’s academic success. It doesn’t matter if you are a genius, an under-achiever, or somewhere in between, you need these skills to thrive. While there are many “tips to study” and “how to study guides” available online, this article will cover one technique that I…

There’s absolutely nothing to fear but fear itself when it comes to running your own business, both online and offline. Most people are very afraid of failure and that is completely human but it is also important to understand that failure is the best teacher. You can hit the ground…

The iPad has revolutionized the personal computing market! Everywhere you go you see more and more people using an iPad or some type of tablet. There are so many benefits of technology like this but along with those benefits comes some disadvantages. The biggest disadvantage is the learning curve on…

Have you noticed in life how there are some people who always know what they want to do. They have a dream and they go after it. For some this happens at a very early age. We’ve all listened to interview with various actors and singers talking about how they’d…

Over the last few years, the economy and job market have made it difficult for most of us to get by. Because of this, many of us had to get creative with our budget. Personally, my family’s budget is so tight, I feel guilty when I have to spend $20…

So, you've figured out that you have a visual child. Great, now what??
Here are some tips and tricks to help you prepare some activities for your visual learner. Remember, that visual learners need to watch things being done, they learn through their eyes and manipulation with their hands. It…

Everyone has strategies to help them learn. These are often referred to as learning styles and have to do with how a person processes and learns information. While most people have one dominant way they learn, learning strategies can be used together or separately depending on what the material is…

Tips to teaching the solar system for children.
Few topics are more exciting for children than learning about the solar system. Likewise. few are more frustrating to teach. Hopefully I can ease your frustration and give you a few tips on teaching the solar system for children.
Teaching the solar…